BLM Merit: Group 2

[Tengaar]

Did anyone get the 2nd merit for Freeze 2 or Burst 2 yet? How is it compare to the 1st upgrade?

[Tilo]

I was thinking about it, but held off. I'm tempted to just put one point in all of the spells for fun.. but then the other part of me just wants to bump up freeze2 and burst2 to go with the potency merits I have. Hard to choose.

[Jeryhn]

I was thinking about it, but held off. I'm tempted to just put one point in all of the spells for fun.. but then the other part of me just wants to bump up freeze2 and burst2 to go with the potency merits I have. Hard to choose.

I suppose it would depend on whether or not the AM2 spells are tiered in damage similar to how all the other BLM spells are (concerning Thunder > Ice > Fire > Aero > Water > Stone). If they're not, I could see a benefit in unlocking them all (aside from maybe Quake).

[Cephius]

I was thinking about it, but held off. I'm tempted to just put one point in all of the spells for fun.. but then the other part of me just wants to bump up freeze2 and burst2 to go with the potency merits I have. Hard to choose.

I suppose it would depend on whether or not the AM2 spells are tiered in damage similar to how all the other BLM spells are (concerning Thunder > Ice > Fire > Aero > Water > Stone). If they're not, I could see a benefit in unlocking them all (aside from maybe Quake).

I thought even the AM1 was tiered differently than the other magics? As I recall AM1 was tiered (from weakest to strongest) Ice > Wind > Earth > Thunder > Water > Fire. Would it not make sense for AM2 to be structured the same way?

[Hayama]

an upgrade adds 3 MAB and 5 m. acc, if what I read was correct. I'd be willing to bet the MAB part at least is right. Not sure if it lowers recast time too.

[Jeryhn]

I was thinking about it, but held off. I'm tempted to just put one point in all of the spells for fun.. but then the other part of me just wants to bump up freeze2 and burst2 to go with the potency merits I have. Hard to choose.

I suppose it would depend on whether or not the AM2 spells are tiered in damage similar to how all the other BLM spells are (concerning Thunder > Ice > Fire > Aero > Water > Stone). If they're not, I could see a benefit in unlocking them all (aside from maybe Quake).

I thought even the AM1 was tiered differently than the other magics? As I recall AM1 was tiered Ice > Wind > Earth > Thunder > Water > Fire. Would it not make sense for AM2 to be structured the same way?

The AM1 is tiered I think, but in my experience, Bahamut landing Flare 2 on me doesn't do much more damage than the Jailer of Hope landing Burst 2 on me. Need someone willing to unlock all 6 and do some testing.

[Dezzimal]

AM2 is not teired, but Freeze II will actually do more damage because of the INT +4/5 on your Ice/Aquilo's staff.

[Khamsin]

The tier I-IVs and AMs have their respective tiering because they are learned at different levels. Avatar tier IVs, which are all learned at the same time, have no tiering. AM2s are all made available at the same time, too, so it is possible they have no tiering, as well.

[Epoxy]

same dmg, same cast time, same mp cost

[DeadLegend]

an upgrade adds 3 MAB and 5 m. acc, if what I read was correct. I'd be willing to bet the MAB part at least is right. Not sure if it lowers recast time too.

Only on MB, which is cool, because it guarantees a need for skillchain and not straight manaburn to get the full effect.

[Judai]

I have Tornado2, Freeze2 and Burst2.

Burst2 does the most damage but not by much over Freeze2. Tornado2 is about 100pts less.

5 Thunder merits, 4 Blizz and 1 Wind, btw.

I just upgraded Burst2 one time and will test it out a little in a min.


edit: and when would you even use a spell other then Thunder, Blizzard or Wind?

[Cephius]

I have Tornado2, Freeze2 and Burst2.

Burst2 does the most damage but not by much over Freeze2. Tornado2 is about 100pts less.

5 Thunder merits, 4 Blizz and 1 Wind, btw.

I just upgraded Burst2 one time and will test it out a little in a min.

So, without your merits, they're all basically the same right? Which would agree with what Khamsin and others said earlier in the thread

[SephYuyX]

Interesting that they all do relatively the same dmg, but for most BLM, Burst and Freeze will do more.

Im more interested on the dmg diffrence of Burst lvl3 vs Burst lvl1 (on a MB I guess, but also in general), if its close to the same damage, im just going to put 1 point into all the AMIIs.

[BRP]

I'm thinking of going: 3 merits in Burst II, 1 merit in Freeze II, 1 merit in Tornado II, and 1 merit in Flood. However, I would like someone to test how much of a difference Flood(/Tornado) makes makes to Earth(/Ice) spells. I'm thinking it might make no different or on the other hand a huge difference. So could someone test that?

Anyway, if the BLM nerf did anything(doesn't look like it)... these merits were the answer. +3 on Magic Bursts(+3%? MAB+3?) and Magic Accuracy+5 per upgrade.

[Nagamaki]

Freeze with Ice/Aquillo's will do more cause of INT on the staff, and Freeze/Burst do more for most cause people have Ice and Thunder merited... Don't quite get what the big mystery is.

As for upgrades, the text is Increase Spell II magic burst damage by 3, so the effectiveness depends what this 3 means, the most obvious guess would be 3% extra MB damage per level (comparison material being Static Earring's effective +5).

Oh and good job SE mispelling Tornado in the description, go Torando II

[Judai]

So, my crappy Tests:

Taru 75BLM/RDM
No staves, didn't want to add dmg to spells, just wanted base damage.
316 Elemental Magic
INT 79+42
+11 Magic Atk Bonus
Windday no weather. (didn't use obi or pants)
Didn't use alot of DD gear, as I just wanted to compare as close to Base damage as possible.

5 Thunder, 4 Blizzard and 1 Wind merits

Test Subject: Aht Urghan Attercop

Burst2 1291
Freeze2 1274
Tornado2 1223

Same hits except a few resists here and there. Tested on 20 mobs. (yea I know it's not much)

Burst2 is upgraded but obviously it doesn't matter on non-MBs.

edit: did a couple more tests, added in HQ staves.

Burst2 1448
Freeze2 1448
Tornado2 1509 (windsday) 1373 was without day bonus damage.

[SephYuyX]

Those tests seem fine and make perfect sence, I dont think there is any more need to go over the aspect of which spell is stronger, theyre all pretty close, cept for a few points. It holds up to what was said earllier about spells being learned at the same level, in that they will do the sameish dmg as long as there is no bonus.

So there is no dmg difference from lvl1 burst and lvl2 burst on regular nukes? Kinda surprizing. What needs to be done now is the diffrence in MBs, but unless you tests lvl1 burst on MBs already, I dont think itll be possible for you to properly test since youre on lvl2. Find someone with similiar gear setup with burst lvl1 only :/

Try to find a 2 melee to make light and see what kind of dmg burst does. Id like to see the damage on that.

[BRP]

Could you test Tornado 2 -> Freeze 2?

[Judai]

I'll prolly be upgrading Tornado2 soon, so I will try to test it out. I did get in a a few MB with Burst but tbh I don't remember the damage.

Freeze 2 did no additional damage after Tornado 2. I would have to assume using Tornado 2 first just lessens the resist rate.

[Ryany]

I don't think I want to put any 2nd upgrades into any tier2 ancient because they are only giving you 6 upgrades and each extra upgrade is 1 less new spell you can get. (unless they expand the points you can spend someday)